The Gegela Ecotourism Area, a national AAAA-level scenic spot and Sichuan provincial geological park, is located in the northwest of Yanbian County, Panzhihua City. It is a natural forest oxygen bar, boasting the world’s largest forest of P. yunnanensis var. pygmaea, China’s largest pristine green stone forest, and so many karst sinkholes that it has been dubbed the “Karst Sinkhole Museum.” At the same time, as a settlement for ethnic minorities such as the Yi people, it is also rich in cultural charm.
Gegela means “the most beautiful place in the world” in the Yi language, and is also translated as “the home of the gods.” The scenic area features a variety of natural and cultural landscapes including sinkholes, karst landforms, alpine meadows, and Yi ethnic customs.
The forest of P. yunnanensis var. pygmaea, the Si Ma flowers, the red earth, the blind valley, and the green stone forest are representative natural attractions of Gegela, all of which are associated with legends of the gods. The P. yunnanensis var. pygmaea trees, standing less than 1 meter tall, spread like a green carpet toward the horizon. The Si Ma flowers are unique wild azaleas in the Gegela region—some as pure white as snow, elegant and noble, others bright and passionate, fiery and vibrant. The red earth lies atop the plateau, stretching along the mountains, with magnificent colors, serving as a painter's palette and a photographer's paradise. The blind valley, a typical example of a sinkhole group, is a deep, slot-like river valley about 5.5 kilometers long and 100 meters wide, ending at a water-falling sinkhole over 150 meters deep. The blind valley is lush with ancient trees and meandering streams, but all disappear mysteriously before reaching the sinkhole. The green stone forest is made up of countless bizarrely shaped rocks covered in green moss, resembling celestial beings fallen from the Milky Way, and is also known as the “home of the gods.”
The ethnic minorities in the Gegela region are predominantly Yi, with cultures of other ethnic groups such as Miao, Lisu, Naxi, and Mosuo also converging here. The people are skilled in singing and dancing, and centuries of peaceful habitation have given rise to unique architecture, cuisine, clothing, and folk customs.
I think if there is a paradise on earth, it must be something like Gegela.